Movable panel for heating and ventilating units



Sept. 6, 1932. w. EWALD MOVABLE PANEL FOR HEATING AND VENTILATINGY UNITS Filed Feb. 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y fiQWW ATTOR EY Sept. 6, 1932. w. EWALD 1,875,918

MOVABLE PANEL FOR HEATING AND VENTILATING UNITS Filed Feb. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EH6 lit Q A w W w F20 M1 @133 K 'Z1 llmnlnjlii 1E1 Fig.6.

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 umren s'rars WARREN EWALD, 0F ARDSLEY, PENNSYLVANIA, A SSIGNOR T0 JOHN J'. NESBITT, ING.,

OF- ,HOLMESBURG-PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,

JERSEY CORPORATION OF NEW MOVABLE PANEL FOR HEATING ND VENTILA'IING UNiTS Application filed. February 16, 1931. Serial No. 515,924.

This invention has reference 'to the art of heating and ventilating, and more particularly relates to heating and ventilating units wherein the frame oncasing is provided with a removable front panel or panels, whereby the unit is adapted for disposition and uses not heretofore possible in the art.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a heating and ventilating unit with a removable front panel or panels so de-' signed that the entire front of the unit may be removed in one or more-pieces thus permitting access to the interior mechanism of the unit for adjustment of the valves, traps, inspection of the various parts, for repairs, renovation and cleaning. This may be for units of the comparatively small type.

In the larger size units, the removal of the entire front of the casing may be found to be objectionable, due to the possibility of cracking or disfiguring the contact lines of the unit with the surrounding wall, hence, to simplify my construction, it is also an object to provide small detachable panels through the me dium of which access to individual parts of the interior of the unit is facilitated for periodical cleaning, adjustment of valves and traps and for periodical inspection in the event anything goes wrong with the unit.

It is a principal object to my invention to so construct the unit that it may be entirely concealed in the wall or space provided therefor in the building, or room of the building, and so apply the'removable panels that the wall or contact line about the unit will not be disturbed, broken or fractured, thus retaining at all times, during the life of the unit, the neat, ornamental and good appearance of the unit and its surroundings, and at the same time permitting free access to the interior of the unit for inspection, cleaning, repairs, adjustments, etc., and even to the removal and replacement or'substitution of some of the important elements or mechanisms making up the functional apparatus.

It is also an object of my invention to provide an effective and simple means for locking the panels in place, one form including a cam lock which is concealed; but, which may be easily reached by an operative "and manipulated for the purposes of unlocking the panels for removal ofthe latter or shifting of the same, or locking the same in place. With the foregoing objects in view and oth ers which will be detailed during the course of this description, my invention consists in the parts, features, elements and combina tions thereof hereinafter described and claimed.- V 1 Figure 1 is a view showing in front elevation a heating and ventilating unit embodying my invention and shown set or concealed in the pocket orrecess of the wall of the room of installation of the unit, the front portions of the frame being shown as flush with-the surrounding wall;

Figure 2 is a sectional view takensubstantially on the line 22 of Figure 1, show? ing the manner of concealing and insetting the unit andshowing the front marginal face portions thereof circumscribing the unit flush with'the wall; I a I i Figure 3 is a sectional view taken onthe line 83 o fFigure '1 showing the frame of c the unit with a removable panel and a portion of the means for retaining the panel in place;

Figure 4- is a view showing the panel of form of locking means which I have found effective and convenient; V a

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6'-6 of Figure 5, the arrows indicating the direction of sight; and p i I Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of Figure 5, showing the locking means of the latter figure.

Referring to the drawings, it is to be noted, viewing F igures 1 and 2, that the wall of the room or building is indicated at 1, and said wall is shown as provided with a deep recess, niche or pocket, in which the frame or casing 52 ofthe unit is set so as toenable its front the facial portion of the latter is'filled in,

if necessary, adjacent thecasing of the unit,

- casing upon supports provided therefor, and

the arrangement of such parts will be such as to render it facile and convenient to get' at them for the various purposes heretofore noted. 1 t

The front molding or face portions 3 of the casing are'provided with an inturned flange 5, and saidmolding may extend about the casing and across the casing in several sections, as also'indicated at 6, 7, 8 and 9, each of, these members being likewise pro 'vided'with inturned flanges also indicated a For the purpose of illustrating one form of'my invention, I have divided the front panel of my unit into two sections indicated at710 and 11, which form the entire front of the casing except the central divisional bar or front molding member 7 and the other surrounding molding members. Each of the panels 10 and 11, one of which is shown in its details in Figures 3 and 4, is provided on its inner face at its opposite sides with guiding lugs 12, the same being applied lengthwise of the panel adjacent the opposite edges thereof and approximately midway of its verticallength. These guiding lugs are adapted to engage the flanges 5 of the molding membersand maintain the panels properly in position. Each of the panels is also provided at its bottom with an applied flange member 13, the same extending across the bottom of the panel in position toengage and receive between it and the body of the panelthe horizontal flange 14 of the bottom molding member 6. Ad acent the opposite ends of the flange 13 aguiding lug 15 is applied to the panel, the same being adapted to engage the opposite ends of the flange 14 so as to enable the panel to be properly and snugly set in place. At its top each of the panels is also provided with an angular looking member 16 which is adapted to be engaged by a cam presently described. V

I have provided means for locking the panels in place in the casing, and'it will be understood that these means. may have various forms. For the purposes of illustration and as an exemplification of my invention, I have provided the means shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 and, referring thereto, it will be seen that the member 16 is made in the form of a double angle adapted to engage anopen end slot 17 carried by cam 18 mounted on a short stud or shaft 19 ournaled in an angular bracket 20 fixed to the inner surface of the horizontal molding bar 8. To hold the shaft 19 against longitudinal displacement, I have provided washers 21 and .a pair of cotter pins 22 extending through the shaft, the washers surrounding the shaft adjacent the supporting memberof the bracket 20. Another angular bracket 23 is secured to the opposite flange of the molding bar 8, providing a journal bearing and support for the shaft 19, thus aiding in holding it rigidly in place and preventing verticaldisplacement. .Also, the shaft 19 extends through the horizontal flange 24 of the molding member 8 and terminates between twovof the grille bars 25 within the unit and practically out of sight. The angle of I arrangement of the shaft 19 is such as to enable an operative to extend, between the grille bars 25, a long screw driver, the flattened end of which may be entered in a slot 26 (Figure 6) by which the shaft may be turned in its bearings so as to rotate the slotted cam 18 for the purpose of releasing or binding in place the panels 10. Obviously, the more the shaft is rotated the greaterwill be the binding ef fect of the cam upon the flange of the member 16. Thus, the panels can be firmly held in placeagainst any possibility of shifting or rattling or vibration during the operation of the unit when in use. Likewise, the panels can be readily released by reversing the movement of the cam until the tongue 27, produced by the slot 17, releases. the member 16. The panel can then be tilted outwardly, this function being accomplished by the end ofthe tongue 27.

Upon viewing Figure 1, it will be seen that I have shown diagrammatically a radiator 28 located in the upper part of the unit, and two underslung arrangements of blowers 29 which may be operated in any usual manner, as by av motor (not shown) common in heating and ventilating units. The grille section 30 may be in the face of the casing, af-' fording egress of the hot orcold air ,or modulated air according to requirementsor the automatic regulation, as usual. The space 31, at the bottom of the unit may be for recirculation which is permitted by openings 32 in the bottom of the casing. l

IIaving thus described the details of my invention, it will be readily understood that with the casing set in place in the recess of the wall, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, all the apparatus forming part of the unit may be readily placed through the front'openings in the casing from which the panels 10 and 11 have been removed. When the unit has been properly set up ready for operation, each of the panels is set in place-in turn by placing the loweredge thereof adjacent the flange 14,

allowing the'flange 18,Figures 8 and 4, to pass within the opening,whereupon the panel is swung to the vertical position shown in Figure 3, and the shaft 19 turned, as described so as to enable the tongue 27 to engage the angular member 16 and gradually draw the panel 1-0 tightly into position, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive. To remove either of the panels for any desired purpose, the shaft 19 is reversely turned, thus gradually releasing the panel, which is finally tilted at its top by the thrust of the tongue 27, enabling the operative to take hold of the panel when released from the tongue 27 and lift said panel from the flange 14 at the base of the frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. A heating and ventilating unit having its enclosing casing provided with a removable panel, and cam mechanism between the panel and casing for locking the panel to the casing and for acting upon the panel to press the same outwardly from the casing. V

2. A heating and ventilating unit having its enclosing casing provided with a removable panel, and means between the panel and the casing for locking and releasing the panel and at the end of the releasing operation to push the panel away from the casing.

3. In combination with the casing of a heating and ventilating unit having its facial portion composed of .a plurality of angularly disposed molding members, a plurality of panels set within the boundary of certain of the molding members, and independent means for locking the panels in place, said means having elements for first releasing the panels and then pushing them away from the casing.

4. A heating and ventilating unit having its casing open at its front only and composed of integral enclosing members forming a unitary rigid structure, a removable panel for the open front of the casing, and means between the casing and panel on the inside thereof whereby said panel may be firmly but removably locked in position in the front of the casing.

latter may be securely held at its upper edge to the casing.

7. A heating and ventilating unit having its casing open at its front only and composed of integral enclosing members forming a unitary rigid structure, a removable front panel for the open front of the casing, saidpanel having a flange on its inner side at its bottom edge adapted to engage'a flange on the casing to enable the panel to tilt relatively to the casing, and means near the top edge of the panel on its inner side adapted to engage the casing for locking the panel tothe casing.

WARREN EWALD.

5. A heating and ventilating unit having its casing open at its front only and composed of integral enclosing members forming a unitary rigid structure, said casing being provided with a removable panel for the open front of the casing, said panel being provided on its inner surface with an angular member, and the casing having a rotary device on its inner side cooperating with said member for locking the panel to the front of the casing.

6. A heating and ventilating unit having its casing open at its front only and composed of integral enclosing members forming a unitary rigid structure, a removable panel for the open front of the casing, and means between the casing and the upper edge of the panel on the inner side thereof whereby the 

